To all Americans

This is a discussion on To all Americans within the A Brief History of Cprogramming.com forums, part of the Community Boards category; Now that there is an official war on terror, can you now PLEASE stop sending money to the IRA ?????
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"It's not like individual British citizens have never paid to support terrorists..."
this is all too true.
however having experienced terrorism first hand for MANY years, our government tries to prevent supporting it, whithin the confines of freedom of speech etc

The IRA was NOT EVEN A BANNED organisation until recently, the American government did NOTHING to prevent fundraising and arms shipments. well, very little anyway.

London has been bombed many times, the IRA attempted to kill our prime minister and her cabinet !! anyone remember ???

The money I send to the IRA is a direct deduction from my paycheck, and it may take a while for the payroll department to process my request to have it stopped.

I don't doubt the U.S. Government is financing all sorts of shady groups, but I hope you realize that American citizens have little control over what the government does. Most of the people we vote into office are either assimilated by the establishment or turn out to be duds.

If it makes you feel any better, I will decline any offers from the IRA to write code for them ;)

Terrorism is all but new. The US got hit, it started an all out war. If Mexico had been hit instead, they would have given rats ass and send money to rebuild it. Thats the way the world works. To get people to care, it has to hit themselves. Seeing others suffer doesn't cause the same feelings in people.

most of the money that was used to murder British citizens came from the USA.

most of the money that came from the US came from New York.

most of the money from New York came from Irish-Americans with a deluded, ignorant, romantic view of the situation (a recent poll showed 95% of irish-americans believe the catholics in northern ireland didn't have a vote !!!)
gerry adams (leader of IRA in all but name) is lauded in New York as a hero, and feted by high society.

the recent st patricks day parade was led by a convicted IRA terrorist, who hadn't actually murdered anyone(not convicted anyway) but he HAD blown up a police station!!

i find it very ironic, it should make New Yorkers think a little

all terrorism is bad. its wrong to kill innocents by planting bombs.
whether the bombs are in London, or a flying bomb in New York.

it makes me sad that its true !!
altho' exagerated to make a point, he was basically treated like royalty on his last visit (and fundraising tour). lots of attention, lots of public speaking, lots of cheering crowds.
he should be treated like bin laden in my opinion. he's a terrorist and a murderer.
this is what fuels and feeds terrorism, they are supported by ignorant people who believe in their romantic notions.

there is NO SHADENFRUEDE regarding Sept 11th, please dont anyone get me wrong, but i want to make people think a little about supporting terrorism.

shadenfruede is a german word meaning taking delight in other peoples misfortune. ive spelt it wrong i think.
i dont take any delight in Sept 11th, only muslim fundamentalists and other nutcases would !!!

also not all Americans supported the IRA, i'm saying as a whole the US did nothing to help.

i find it offensive that a terrorist was leading a march, in NEW YORK !!!
but you won't conceed that its ironic, or even understand my point so i'm shutting up and going !!

the ira is a terrorist organization, but it's not so clear cut. the ira is an independance organization, like the palistinian authority. the only clear win, regardless of money spent, is to stop fighting, period.